Agricultural Commission Visits Chichester Central School
John Snow
Agricultural Commission members Catherine and John Snow recently
visited Mrs. Rowe’s third grade class as part of New Hampshire
Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC). Mr. Snow enthusiastically
read aloud Who Grew My Soup? written by Tom Darbyshire and
illustrated by C. F. Payne, a story of a young man reluctant to
eat his vegetable soup. Upon completion of the reading, two
copies were given to the school library, one donated by the
Agricultural Commission; the other by the Chichester Garden
Club. The book was chosen for this year’s Spring Agricultural
Literacy Program for third to fifth graders; the AITC also
offers a myriad of resources for teachers to incorporate into a
variety of subjects.
Created to educate children about where their food comes from,
AITC’s mission is to increase awareness and knowledge of farming
practices in youth, to foster their appreciation for our
agrarian heritage and rural lifestyle and to encourage them to
be responsible stewards of our land. In NH alone, more than
4,000 acres of fruits and vegetables are harvested each year.
In some cities when asked where their food comes from, many
students will say that it comes from a grocery store or
restaurant. Young children don’t always make the connection
between agriculture and the food they consume every day. It is
important for students to understand that grocery stores are
food distribution centers, not the source of food.
Some of the foods we eat everyday are grown locally, but not all
of the food we consume is grown locally. While most states
produce their own milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables and grains, the
availability of certain foods depends upon season. The climate
and soil of a particular region determines the types of foods
that can be grown. Consumer demands influence the items that
stores and restaurants offer. When we want fresh fruits and
vegetables in the middle of winter or desire exotic foods, such
as star fruit and kiwi, grocery stores meet these demands by
having food transported from other regions of the United States
and from other countries.
Classroom lessons and discussion help provide students with an
understanding about where their food comes from and what it
takes to produce their food. It also promotes a natural
curiosity about how food affects their health while reinforcing
food and agriculture as their connection to a better quality of
life. Understanding what it takes to produce food will help
students make the association between the land, farmers and
ranchers and the grocery store.
The Chichester Agricultural Commission meets the
third Wednesday of each month, 7pm at the Town Library. If
anyone is interested in becoming a Chichester Agricultural
Commission member, please contact its secretary Ann Davis at
[email protected]. All are
welcome to the monthly meetings.
